Delivery apparatus for a glass manufacturing apparatus and methods

Abstract

Delivery apparatus include an electrical circuit configured to heat a linear conduit and an elbow conduit. A first electrode can be mounted to an upstream portion of the linear conduit, a second electrode can be mounted downstream of the upstream portion, and a third electrode can be mounted to a curved segment of the elbow conduit within a footprint extension of a first passage of the linear conduit. In further examples, a delivery apparatus includes an electrical circuit with a first electrode mounted to an upstream portion of a linear conduit, a second electrode mounted to a downstream portion of the linear conduit, and a third electrode mounted to an elbow conduit. In still further examples, methods of heating molten glass include application of an electrical current such that neither a current flux through a linear conduit nor a current flux through an elbow conduit exceeds 8 amps/mm 2 .

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A delivery apparatus for a glass manufacturing apparatus, including:
 a linear conduit extending along an axis, the linear conduit including an upstream portion and a downstream portion with a first passage defined between the upstream and downstream portions, the first passage configured to provide a path for a quantity of molten glass traveling through the linear conduit, the first passage further including a stirring element positioned therein and configured to stir the molten glass traveling through the linear conduit; 
 an elbow conduit including an upstream portion and a downstream portion with a second passage defined between the upstream and downstream portions of the elbow conduit, the upstream portion of the elbow conduit joined to the downstream portion of the linear conduit such that the first passage is in fluid communication with the second passage, wherein the elbow conduit is bent out of a direction of the axis of the linear conduit so as to extend away from a footprint extension of the first passage of the linear conduit thereby defining a curved segment located within the footprint extension; and 
 an electrical circuit configured to heat the linear conduit and the elbow conduit, the electrical circuit including a first electrode mounted to the upstream portion of the linear conduit, a second electrode mounted downstream of the upstream portion of the linear conduit, and a third electrode mounted to the curved segment so as to be confined within the footprint extension, 
 wherein the electrical circuit is configured to apply a current between the second electrode and the third electrode through the elbow conduit. 
 
     
     
       2. The delivery apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the curved segment includes an inner radius region and an outer radius region, and the third electrode is mounted to the elbow conduit at the outer radius region within the footprint extension. 
     
     
       3. The delivery apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a tap conduit joined to the elbow conduit, wherein the tap conduit includes a third passage in fluid communication with the second passage. 
     
     
       4. The delivery apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the tap conduit comprises the third electrode. 
     
     
       5. The delivery apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the curved segment includes an inner radius region and an outer radius region, and the tap conduit is joined to the elbow conduit at the outer radius region within the footprint extension. 
     
     
       6. The delivery apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein a wall thickness of the tap conduit and a wall thickness of the elbow conduit are different. 
     
     
       7. The delivery apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the elbow conduit includes an interface where the tap conduit is joined to the elbow conduit, and the interface has a larger wall thickness than a neighboring wall thickness of the elbow conduit. 
     
     
       8. The delivery apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the interface includes a ring-shaped configuration. 
     
     
       9. The delivery apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode includes a flange. 
     
     
       10. The delivery apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the upstream portion of the linear conduit includes an entry port for the molten glass. 
     
     
       11. The delivery apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second electrode is mounted to the downstream portion of the linear conduit, and the electrical circuit is configured to independently control a current flux through the linear conduit and another current flux through the elbow conduit. 
     
     
       12. The delivery apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical circuit is configured such that neither a current flux through the linear conduit nor a current flux through the elbow conduit exceeds 8 amps/mm 2 . 
     
     
       13. A delivery apparatus for a glass manufacturing apparatus, including:
 a linear conduit extending along an axis, the linear conduit including an upstream portion and a downstream portion with a first passage defined between the upstream and downstream portions, the first passage configured to provide a path for a quantity of molten glass traveling through the linear conduit, the first passage further including a stirring element positioned therein and configured to stir the molten glass traveling through the linear conduit; 
 an elbow conduit including an upstream portion and a downstream portion with a second passage defined between the upstream and downstream portions of the elbow conduit, the upstream portion of the elbow conduit joined to the downstream portion of the linear conduit such that the first passage is in fluid communication with the second passage; 
 a tap conduit joined to the elbow conduit, wherein the tap conduit includes a third passage in fluid communication with the second passage; and 
 an electrical circuit configured to heat the linear conduit and the elbow conduit, the electrical circuit including a first electrode mounted to the upstream portion of the linear conduit, a second electrode mounted to the downstream portion of the linear conduit, and a third electrode mounted to the elbow conduit, wherein the tap conduit comprises the third electrode, 
 wherein the electrical circuit is configured to apply a current between the second electrode and the third electrode through the elbow conduit. 
 
     
     
       14. The delivery apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the electrical circuit is configured to heat the linear conduit independently of the elbow conduit. 
     
     
       15. The delivery apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the elbow conduit is bent out of a direction of the axis of the linear conduit so as to extend away from a footprint extension of the first passage of the linear conduit thereby defining a curved segment located within the footprint extension, and the tap conduit is mounted to the curved segment within the footprint extension. 
     
     
       16. The delivery apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the curved segment includes an inner radius region and an outer radius region, and the tap conduit is mounted to the elbow conduit at the outer radius region within the footprint extension. 
     
     
       17. The delivery apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein a wall thickness of the tap conduit and a wall thickness of the elbow conduit are different. 
     
     
       18. The delivery apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the elbow conduit includes an interface where the tap conduit is joined to the elbow conduit, and the interface has a larger wall thickness than a neighboring wall thickness of the elbow conduit. 
     
     
       19. The delivery apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the interface includes a ring-shaped configuration. 
     
     
       20. The delivery apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the elbow conduit is bent out of a direction of the axis of the linear conduit so as to extend away from a footprint extension of the first passage of the linear conduit thereby defining a curved segment located within the footprint extension, and the tap conduit is mounted to the elbow conduit outside of the footprint extension. 
     
     
       21. The delivery apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the electrical circuit is configured such that neither a current flux through the linear conduit nor a current flux through the elbow conduit exceeds 8 amps/mm 2 .